Deserts

Deserts The Sahara Desert

Climate of the Sahara Desert In Africa

Average Rainfall- Less than 10 inches per year.

Average Temperature- The average annual temperature is 86 degrees F, but has reached a maximum of 122 degrees F before.

The Sahara Desert is one of the world's hottest and driest deserts. During the winter months, the desert gets close to freezing overnight, but during the summer months temperatures often exceed 100 degrees F. It also often has strong wind gusts. Rainfall is not usual, but when it does rain it is a torrential downpour, though that is very rare in any desert biome. In general, deserts are dry and hot biomes.

This a climateagram for the Sahara Desert.

Net Primary Productivity:

The desert's net primary productivity is less than 200 per year, it uses 1 kilocalorie per sq meter per day. Compared to other biomes such as the tropical rain forest or grasslands, these numbers are extremely low. On average, deserts receive less than 10 inches of rain per year, and that is also extremely low compared to other biomes. Deserts in general take up 33% of the earths land surface. Compared to other biomes that is the greatest amount, but it distributed relatively evenly.

Soil Quality

The soil in any desert, but especially the Sahara, is extremely dry. Because of lack of rainfall and moisture in the areas, the soil is dried out completely in most areas. The vegetation is very clumpy, making it difficult to farm in any desert biome.

Endangered:

The gazelle is a mammal found in the Sahara desert and it is endangered. These gazelles are suffering from habitat loss due to drought. They are also endangered because of over-hunting.

Invasive: Buffelgrass is an invasive species in many desert areas. Because deserts don't have a lot of wildlife, there is hardly ever fires. In the absence of fire, buffelgrass rapidly grows and out competes the other plants or animals in the desert. This is accidentally invasive.

Animals in the Desert Biome:

Spotted Hyena

These mammals have reddish brown fur that helps them to blend in the with the color of the sand of the deserts. They also survive here because their prey, anteloupes, also live here. Hyenas also have large, strong, jaws that allow them to break down and digest prey much bigger than them.

Golden Jackal:

Jackals are able to survive in the large desert because they are swift, fast runners with long legs. They can also run long distances which is helpful because the Sahara is the largest desert in the world. Another adaptation is their fur color, the light brown/dark orange color helps them to blend into the color of the desert sand/soil.

The Ostrich

This is one of the birds that is found in the desert, specifically the Sahara. The ostrich is able to survive in such a dry area because it feeds on mostly insects or bugs that are commonly found in the desert. Because of the ostrich's shape, size, and color, when it lays down in the desert it becomes almost invisible. It is a common prey of animals in the desert, but it uses its remarkable speed as defense.

Plants of the Sahara Desert

African Peyote Cactus

The cactus is able to thrive in the worlds driest desert because it doesn't need a lot of water to live, unlike other plants. Though it rarely rains in the desert, a cactus is able to store water longer and in great amounts.

Thyme

Thyme is herb commonly found in the Sahara desert. This herb is drought-resistant, which means it is easy to grow on dry sand or soil like the desert. It is also a food source to many animals in the Sahara.

Palm Trees

Palm trees are found in the Sahara Desert where the water is close to the surface. Palm trees have long and deep roots, so they are able to get their water from beneath the dry soil. They are also grown where people dig wells to gather water.

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by Unsplash - "landscape desert clear" • John Tann - "Buffel Grass" • pixabairis - "spotted hyena hyena mammal" • Stig Nygaard - "Golden Jackal" • DukeAsh - "ostrich africa bird" • Unsplash - "landscape desert landscape nature" • ms.lume - "thyme" • DoodleMatt - "Joshua Tree National Park"

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